Sign-letter plate



A. oT'ro ET A1.

S IGN LETTER PLATE Mann-2o, 192s.

Filed April 2v. 192e u INVENTOR S zfrecz om) Robert Otto.

"MII

Patented Mar. 20, 1928.

Parnu-2T ort-*rcn.A

Ainnannozro, onTfAYnoa; AND nonnnfr lirf.y oii LEE counir, Tnxns sien-narran PLATE.

Application mea Aprii a?, 192e. seriai No.' 104,978.

This invention relatesto certain new and useful improvements in sign letter plates, and has special reference to sign ,letter plates of thattype designed` to he electrically illuminated, and to sign letter plates which, While adaptedto be illuminated, Will show in the dark Veven When not illuminated.

4 One object of our inventionisto provide asifYn letter einhod incr a novel and iinb y i:

proved construction of sign plate andy light reflecting means.

Another object of our invention is to provide a sign letter embodying a molded open' frame letter or character and novel means for'fast'ening it'to a stencil plate.

Still another objeet of our invention is to provide sign letter embodying ay stencil platel and a translucent backing plate and embodying novel means for securing the translucent backing; plate vin position, so as tol admit of there'ady removal of thehacking plateifor cleaning itr for the substitue Figure l is a section on line 1 -4 of Fig ure.y

Figuresg and 6 are fragmentary] per-y Spective. Niews, iiiv crossfsection, of different forms^v of' open character frame mouldings,`

Figures isa detailsection ShOWingthe application of af characten formed of theV moulding illustrated `in Figures 6.

In he `practical embodiment of our in? vention as shovvn in Figures 1 to 5, incluT j siveiv e"-provide`fa@sign letter plate com* prisingja metaillifc'jstencil plate l, made of zinc or other suitable material, an open frame sign character 2, made of cast metal, and a translucent backing plate 3, made of opal or other suitable glass, designed to permit of the passage of light rays and to form an ornamental panel showing through the opening in the .open frame sign character 2.

The plate 1 is of rectangular or oblong rectangular forni and has its side edges providedwith marginal rearwardly extending langesvhproviding on the rearY side ofsaid plate a housingor enclosure forthe hackingA plate 3. Thesey flanges l are 4provided with, tongues or other fastening members 5 for fasteninglthe sign letter plateto a ksiOf'nl frame V of any suitable construction., T e

charaeter,2is preferably cast'froman alloy 65 or composition metal which is rustl proof andi has. lig-lit reflecting qualities, although, ify desired, any suitable material may be used andthechaiacter painted` or Venameled to giveitlthestatedproperties. The character Vis so formed that it inargiiiallyhounds the opening- 6 in the plate 1, through ivhichithe plate@ isexposechivhich'opening 6 and the associated open frame character 2 provid'ej the desired. kcontiguiation' of'sign letter 01175 character'to be displayed, i Mouldedin ithe signcharacter vat suitable points are fast-VA eningfinembeis' 7, herein shown in the formf of staples. The head portionsl of these staples are lixedin the, metal of, the :charv-l 8h actenwhile the prongs thereof project from the' reja`rface"of the characterand are de signedto bepassedthrough openings 8in theplate and nclenched upon the hack ofthe plate to. fasten said Sign. character niposr,k 85

tion. py The portions of the character ,Qdmay be n moulded in any desired crosssectioiial Shape, AS, Shown in; Flgiiresl to 5.,- 111- Velusive,- t1ie;.character nioiildstipsior por- ,f

tlonsiaizeot substantially ,triangular form; en

in erossfsectionsoasto provide cameo type, of character having a prismatic re-` flecting surface In Figures" 6 and 74 aiY character 2l 0f ziiiodt fied. Grossi-Sectional. ,form is shown,theip01f.f95 tions Ior mould strips ofsaid cl'iaracterbeing substantially of oval, ori elliptical form cross-section `iand presenting outtvardlydand inwardlyyprojecting ribsy l9 and lQand a central 4 flange 1l lying `upon its outer facetjlo lith thisnconstruction, 4the iangedpart; 9, projectsoutwardly tQffOl'm the ffm@ .Othe

character, Whletlie angd PQIOU 10. Prof if jects through the Opening L6. 11t0 t1,1eh`oiisng. to form a seat face or abutment for Vthe hacking plate 3, and the flange ll overlaps the front of the plate l. This flange l1 serves as an attaching flange which may be soldered or otherwise secured tothe plate l. As a result of this construction a deep im framed sign character is produced, which Y Will reflect the light rays to a maximum extent, and which may be advantageously used under some conditions.

The translucent plate 3, is held within the housing ot the plate 1 by a trame construction composed of angle met-al retaining strips 12. These strips are equal in number to the sides of the plates 1 and 3, the plate 1 being of sulliciently greater dimensions than the. plate 3 to provide space for the reception ot a strip 12 between each ot its 'liangcs a and the adjacent edge oit the plate 3. Each strip`12 comprises a body portion 13 lying parallel with the plate 1 and secured thereto and a flange portion let projecting at right angles to the plate 2 and `forming a bearing 'or abutment against which the adjacent edge of the plate 3 is adapted to rest. The flanges 14 of the respective. strips 12 are longitudi nally slitted in the region of their end portions and for a suitable distance inwardly therefrom, to provide bendable retaining fingers 15. These fingers 15 are adapted to be bent inwardly at an angle to the plane of the ianges, as shown in Figure 2, so as to overlie the back of the plate 3 and 'serve as holding or retaining members to i'asten said plate in position. By this means the plate 3 will be securely conlined against displacement or rattling, but upon bending the iingers 15 baclr to normal position may be released for removal. Provision is thus made to adapt the plate 3 to be detached for cleansing purposes whenever desired or for the substitution of a new plate in place of a damaged one or Whenever it is desired to substitute a dierent type of translucent plate for that which has been in use. Sign plates constructed in the manner shown and described may be assembled upon a sign trame to provide a complete sign bearing the desired sign matter. The sign plates on this sign trame may be electrically illuminated at night, but, by the use ot suitable bright metals in the formation of the metallic member in connection with proper translucent backing plates, or by painting or enameling the metallic members in a suitable manner, a sign structure may be produced which will show clearly in the dark even when not illuminated.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings,

the construction and mode of operation ot our improved sign letter plate will be readily understood and its advantages appreciated. While the constructions shown, for example, are preferred, it is to be understood, of

course, that changes in the form, construction and dimensions ot' parts may be made within the scope ot the appended claims, without departing from the spirit or sacri'cing any of the advantages ol the invention.

Having thus fully described our invention, we claim :M

1. A sign comprising a sheet metal stencil plate having a per'torate portion delineating a sign character and provided with marginal rearwardly extending flanges forming a rear housing, an open Ytrame sign character disposed upon the tace ot said plate, retaining members upon the rear oli said plate within the space bounded by said housing, said retaining members having rearwardly extending ianges, and a backing plate disposed between said retaining members and marginally engaged thereby, said retaining members having bendable fingers adapted t0 be projected over upon said backing plate to hold the saine in position.

2. A sign comprising a. sheet metal stencil plate, a translucent backing plate, a trame vupon the stencil plate having abutment flanges extending rearwardly at right angles to and marginally engaging said backing plate, and lingers upon said flanges formed by longitudinally slitting the same and adapted to be bent inward laterally overupon the backing plate to retain the same in position.

3. A. sign comprising a sheet metal stencil plate having marginal Ranges forming a housing at the rear of said plate, a translucent backing plate, a Jframe secured to the stencil plate within said housing and having abutment flanges extending rearwardly at right angles to and marginally engaging said backing plate, and fingers upon said flanges formed by longitudinally slitting the same and adapted to be bent inward laterally over upon the backing plate to retain the same in position.Y

4. A sign comprising a sheet metal stencil plate, a backing plate upon the rear of Said stencil plate, retaining members projecting at right angles from the stencil plate and marginally engaging said backing plate, and retaining lingers upon said members formed by longitudinally slitting the same and adapted to be bent inwardly at an angle thereto and over uponthe backing plate.

In testimony whereof We affix our signatures. y

ALFRED OTTO. ROBERT OTTO. 

